How do you keep a classic fresh? Through reinvention, of course. But reinvention is only part of the solution; as with any revival, it has to have that freshness that made the classic so hot in the first place.
Sweeney Todd, Stephen Sondheim's example of how that rare mix of the horror genre and musical theatre can give birth to something truly unique, will be reinvented under the direction of veteran stage director Fred Sebulske of Circle Theatre.
In this production, Sweeney Todd is stripped clean of its original 1979 meaty stage production and devours even more off the 2005 bare bones revival by John Doyle. This production reveals lifelessness inside the sparse landscape of an insane asylum. This is how you keep a classic fresh.
Sweeney Todd is the Tony Award winning American musical story about a wronged man who would do just about anything, no matter how sinister, to avenge the loss of his wife to the lecherous judge who framed Sweeny and cast him aside years prior to the musical's beginning.
While this could have just been another walk in the musical park production, when you discover Sweeney's landlord and her meat pies that have London lining up around the block, the story really begins to take hold of not just your throat, but your head as well as your heart. It is one of Sondheim's absolute best musicals, in my opinion.
"I was inspired by John Doyle's recent production [of Sweeny Todd], but the actors [at Circle Theatre] are not also the orchestra as in his production," says Sebulske, adding that his actors are focused on an even more stripped down version with just the principals and no chorus. "And there is one just one setting: the asylum. So the characters are themselves as inmates and also the characters in the story."
Playing the role of Sweeney Todd will be Larry Young. He will be joined on stage by Kelsey Kohlenberger as Mrs. Lovett, Stephen Grey (Tobias), Charles Hutchins (Judge Turpin), Rob Karel (Anthony), Chelsea Herrema (Johanna), and Kyle Cain (The Beadle).
Circle Theatre's presentation of Sweeney Todd was last tackled in 1987 with much praise for its talent and creativity. I should know, as I was lucky enough to have scored a ticket to Circle's sold-out production. If you missed it the last time -- and given this production's current rate of return to revival -- you might not get another chance to meet Sweeney in this lifetime.
Admission: $25 - 27. Student tickets available at $10.
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